September 1, 2013

Well...I went out just to check a few nests quickly today...and was gone all day. That's what happens to me! I found a lot of food begging chicks...with no visible adults! They seemed to be food begging from each other. One pair of juveniles were launching into a chorus of food begging when two turkey vultures flew over! For Pete's sake! I also spent two hours at one of the nests that belongs to the male with two families. There were two chicks there, moving around from one perch to another, sometimes on the nest, hollering for food from each other. Their crops were empty and neither one pooped in that time. I saw no adults at all. Finally the female chick took off and the male chick remained on the nest, silently waiting. I also checked on one of the last nests to fledge chicks and found all of them present in the area, perched around, flying loops, going from perch to perch. So all have remained out of trouble and close to home. I did see one adult there, soaring above. Some nests were empty and few females were seen. I did see two mated pairs, still hanging out together a short ways from their nests...good to see them, knowing that their time together will be short now. I say silent farewells, hoping they all survive to return to each other, their territories, and to me!